Cloth-clamp.



W. S. ROWLEY.

CLOTH CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1914,

1,1 16,630, Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

INVENTOR WITNESSES sgww ATTORNEY THE NORRIS PETERS CO., PHOTOYLITHQ, WASHINGTON. D, C.

UNITED sraagzs r a rnufr OFFICE.

WILLIAM s, nowLnY, or PALMYRA, new :rnnsnv, nssieuon r0 H. w. BUTTER- wonrn & sous COMPANY, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CLOTH-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May as, 1914. Serial No. 841,453.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM S. RowLnY,

a citizen of the United States, and resident in which the clamp shall be capable of re ceiving and gripping the selvage without injury thereto. Heretofore, cloth clamps have been made wlth a gripplng aw whose time of action has been controlled by a piv- 1 oted finger resting on the cloth and so operating that when the selvage is withdrawn from under said finger it drops through a slot in the clamp plate and allows the clamping jaw to close upon the selvage of the fabric to hold it. In clamps of this character, the

fabric is pressed into the slot of the clamp plate and is drawn against theedges thercof with detrimental result, consisting in roughening the surface, longitudinally stretching the selvage and ironing it over said abrupt edges of the slot with the production of a wavy fullness, which, because of the heated condition of these clamps, is objectionable in weakening the cloth and its selvage by overheating in cases where the fabric is of a delicate texture, such as in thin silk goods. By my improvements, these objections are entirely overcome and the selvage of the finished fabric is smooth and of a uniform finish with the rest of the goods.

My invention consists of a cloth clamp having a clamp plate over which the fabric is drawn and upon which it is clamped, and in which clamp plate there is a slot for the controlling finger, said slot having a beveled or inclined side or sides, to provide a depression above the slot over which the cloth floats in supporting said controlling finger, whereby the cloth may perform its function to hold the clamping jaw out of gripping operation through the action of the controlling finger and without being pressed against the abrupt edges of the slot in the clamp plate. The clamp plate is provided with adepression wider than the slot and the slot opens from the bottom of the depression.

My invention also comprchends details ofconstruction which, together with the features above specified will be better understood by reference to the drawings, in which:-- a

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view online mw ofFig. 2 of a cloth clamp :embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a longitu dinal sectional view of the same on line y g of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a modified form of a portion of my lnvention.

2 is a link, by which a plurality of clamps may be. connected to form a chain, in the well known manner for use in tentering machines. This link is provided with a transverse body 3 having a vertical aperture 4; above the link anda pair of overhanging arms 8. with a brass or other non-rusting plate 5, having a narrow slot 6opening into the aperture l; and the surface of the said plate adjaeent tothe slot is beveled or inclined downward as at 7 so thatthere is a decided depression in the surface of the plate above the slot and on the opposite sides thereof. The purpose of this depression of the plate surface is to prevent the fabric F from being pressed against the edges of the slot 6 in the act of its being adjusted within the clamp preliminary to being clamped on its sclvage. This purpose and the manner in which it is effectedwill be described later on in the specification. j

9 is the clamping jaw and is loosely journaled on the longitudinal pin 11, which extends through and is carried by the over hanging arms 8. The lower edge of the jaw 9 is made with a reasonably sharp clamping edge 10 to positively grip the jaw 9 at timesof receiving the cloth and The body 3 is covered discharging it from the clamp. The clamping jaw is further provided with a rearward arm 13 to which is hinged, at 16, a controlling finger 14, the rear lower edge of which rests upon the plate 5 of the body and the forward edge 15 of which rests upon the cloth F just prior to clamping the same (Fig. 1). This controlling finger 14 is narrow enough to work downward through the slot 6 of the plate 5. As shown in Fig. 1,

end is fulcrumed on the plate 5 and in this manner supports the clamping jaw 9 out of gripping action. When the cloth 1s pulled, outwardly, or to the right in Fig. 1, 1t willliberate the finger 14 and the end 1: will drop down through the slot 6; this w ll remove the support for the clamping aw 9 and it will drop just in time to grip the selvage of the cloth,

The general operation of a clamp of thisf nature is not new, but it has been found 1n 1 commercial use {that with the slot 6 through the plate 5 and extending up to the uniform top surface, the pressure of the controlling finger 14 caused the cloth-to be pressed against the sharp or abrupt edges of theslot and injured it, and especially was this, so, in aggravated form, when the clamps were hot, as is necessarily the case certain kinds of finishing. To overcome this seerious defect in the old style of clamps, when j employed in finishing delicate light weight} grades of cloth, I have provided a construction in which the cloth does not come into contact with the sharp or abrupt edges of the slot. It will be seen from the drawings that-the cloth is supported from contact with the plate ,5 above the slot 6; and even if it sags slightly it will meet an inciined guide vsurface 7 instead of an abrupt shoul- .der of the slot. made so :that it may run in either direction but it will be understood that, if desired, the

inclined depressed portion 7 may be only 011 the side to which the cloth would be drawn; and it is to be understood that the shape of the surface may be greatly varied, as for example in Fig. 3, in which the slot .6 in the plate is formed by splitting the,

plate and bending down the metal on each side of the split. This latter will form a shorter depression which the cloth will have to bridge, but its action will the same as in the other case.

The general construction of the cloth clamp may be varied, as my invention is adapted to any clamp having the clamping jaw supported by a pivoted or movable part sustained by the fabric in the act of clamping the selvage of the fabric, and I therefore do not restrict myself to the details here shown.

Having now described my invention, what "ranged to enter the slot but a held out of the slot by As shown, the clamp isv be substantially I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a cloth clamp, a body having a plate for supporting the cloth provided with a slot and formed with a depression of space wider at the top than the width of the slot, combined with a pivoted clamping jaw, and a controlling finger for supporting the clamping jaw out of clampln action arapted to be the cloth and to act upon the cloth at a distance from the bounding edge of the space above the slot.

2. In a cloth clamp, a body having a plate for supporting the cloth provided with a slot having its side walls terminating at "a. distance below the surface of the plate and connected with said surface by inclined pertions providing a depression in the surface of the plate above the slot thereof, combined with a- .pivoted clamping jam, and controlling means therefor providing a finger arranged to move down into the slot and adapted to be supported by the cloth preliminary to its being clamped.

3. In a .clothclamp, a body having a plate for supporting the cloth provided with 'a. slot having its side walls terminating at a distance below the surface of the plum and connected with said surface long oppositely inclined portions providing a shallow depression in the surface oi :the plate deepest at a point above the slot thereotflzcombined with a pivoted clamping jaw, and controlling means therefor providing a finger arranged to move down into "the slot and adapted to be supported by the cloth preliminary to its'being clamped.

4. In a cloth clamp, a body having a plate for supporting the cloth, said plate having a. depression in its surface and a slot'opening through the plate arranged at the bottom of the depression, combined with a pivoted clamping jaw, and controlling means having a finger adapted to move through the slot but supported by the cloth when above the depression to hold the jaw from clamping the'cloth until the finger is released.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

Witnesses:

WILBUR ALmcn, MARY R. O'rrnr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patentl, Washington, D. C. 

